Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-06-20
MONEY IN RARE WINES.
Some Cellars in New York City-Men
Who Will Offer a Fabulous Price
for Famous Wine.
New Workers Who Take Pride in Their
Private Cellars-OId Wine in New
Bottles.
New York Mail and Express.

C0DWe0 covered bottle, which ne CLASH
lovingly before he carefully draws tn
cork. And his mouth is sure to feel DIR
+; and longing thrill his frame when tn
limpid liquid gurgles melodiously int
the delicate glass, while the host des
cants upon its virtues and relates hoy
that identical wine was laid ava
by that grim-looking warrior an
cestor whose portrait adorns tn
east side of the picture gallery. Ever
one has felt sad regret that not one o
his own friends has such cellar or suct
story to tell. But the fact is that ont
need not go to the shores OF "Merrl
England" nor glide gently down tn,
beautiful Rhine in order to find hosts
who are the possessors of rich wines
which they dispense with prodigal hos.
pitaity. Right here in our own grea
city they can be found, and in plenty
too. l learned this one day last weet
when Mr.. John Jacob Aston walked into
the warerOoms of wholesale wine mer-
chant down town, who also happens tC
be friend of mine.
"Mr. -" said Mr.. Aston, 81 under.
stand that some of the Bloodgood Madei
ras are on the market. II any can be OBJ
tanned, would like them. l am willing
to pay good price for any that are
authentic"
81 doubt that they can be had a. any
price," returned the merchant. "Jim
Hustled or some of those other collectors
would grab at them as quick as q wink il
they had the opportunity"
"Well, see what you can do" returned
hn - . 49,
price is no object SO long as L get the
genuine article"
With that Mr.. Aston went away.
''He will never in the world get them. :"
said my friend, turning to me.
"Why? What are they?" inquired.
never having heard of those evidently
famous wines.
"What! Never heard Of tho Blood
good Maderias?" cried my friend in aston
ishmept, land you pretend to know
something about New YorkersI"
humbly admitted my ignorance, and
he sunk back in his easy chair as he re-
lated what follows: "The Bloodgood
Maderias are so called because they come
from the stock of wine dealer who
was famous as an importer of Madeira
wines half O century ago. He had
q very large business and catered to the
best families. Business was done in an
way then, and every family
of any standing imported its own
Madeira. If Mr.. John Jacob Astor or
Mr. Geolet or any of the other big men
of that day wanted any Medeirs he would
go TO Bloodgood and say:
"Order one cask o. old Madeira for me-
"1hen BlOodgOOd would send out an
order something like this:
'Messrs. - -: Send to John
Jacob Aston, in my care. one caskr
vintage -
sin that way Mr. Astor would be sure
to get his wine direct from the grower or
in Madeira, and the vine would
come to New York marked with his name.
[ was clerk in wine house of a similar
Kind fifty years ago, and l remember very
well when some of the rich people would
come down and order their pipes or
quarters. Those were the names they
usually called the casks, which indicated
heir size. Think of q dealer going to
The trouble OF ordering quarter of
;ask of wine from MADEIRA for Gus
.Omer! But, of course, he always had
OF of such orders ready when the vessel
sailed, besides what he needed him
self. When old Bloodgood died he left
arge quantity of fine MADEIRA, which was
bought up by his old customers. Occa-
,ionslly some small quantity Of
his will get on the market, and then
here is mighty big scramble for it,
;an tell you. Money is no object to some
If our men, and Jim Hustled or Herman
)elrichs or half dozen other prominent
men that | can name would raise each
)ther blind for long time before anyone
would call. If you have never tasted a
3loodgood Madeira, then you don't know
What good Madeira wine is"
MADEIRA NO LONGER THE FAVoRITE.
"Madeira was evidently the favorite |
vine some years ago." | remarked. at |
8 not now, certainly"
"No, it is not" he continued. "Claret |
nd champagne are all the 60 now; and |
he quantity of stuff that is drunk in the |
anne of champagne is enough to poison
colony of goats. Fifty years ago this
7as not so. Then every family of con-
equence had supply of Madeira and q
eCanter of that wine could always be
1und upon the sideboard. As good |
Iadeira came to this country as went to
ny other in the world. The American
ailing vessels took out boards and
taves to Madeira and brought back
lie wine IN return. But one
ear peculiar pestilence swept over the
land of Madeira and killed all the vines
fter that it became impossible to do
lore than supply the wealthy buyers in
urope, snd the American trade ceased.
very one who could afford it laid in q
uantitY, but it took g long time for the
ews of the pestilence to reach here, and
long time for the orders to get back to
Iadeira, so no one was enabled to secure
very large amount. An attempt was
ade to substitute sherry for Madeira,
ut the people who had been drinking the (
est old Madeira were not going TO put s
p with new sherry, and the trial was
{
"Is there much of that old wine hang |
g around their diggings?" l inquired. s
eyes, there is considerable of it in the 6
inc cellars of some of our old families.
can mention the names of 8 number of I
ointment people who have inherited and '
refully added to this old stock. In fact,
may say that this Old Madeira has given ]
igin to many well stocked wine cellars
New York. People who would never '
We thought Of buying more than enough C
ne to suffice for their present needs t
We been tempted, through having q
ssH